Black tub to help residents go green

New backyard composters for sale at city hall

On this Earth Day, the De Soto officials want to remind residents of a way to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills.

If you’ve been to city hall recently, you may have noticed a strange black container at the top of the stairs that looks like it came from Star Wars.

That container is a new home composter. This composter will allow De Soto residents to turn some of their kitchen and yard waste into valuable compost that can be used for bushes, trees or gardens.

Patrick Guilfoyle, city administrator, doesn’t have one yet, but he definitely sees the value in it.

He said it reduces the amount of waste going to landfills, it can teach kids good lessons in conservation and “It’s fun to see nature work.”

The composting unit’s handbook states users can throw away things that are nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich. This includes fruits and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, flowers, plant trimmings, small amounts of grass, leaves or straw, paper napkins and towels, even hair and dryer lint.

The handbook also states that, combined with a recycling program, a home composter can reduce a home’s waste by up to 80 percent.

“This is a great way to reduce the waste stream,“ Guilfoyle said.

The units cost $50. Residents can place an order for them at city hall and will be available for pick up by the next Friday.